RMD's railway cameras on Wascosa's new ballast wagon
Swiss freight wagon supplier Wascosa has developed a fully automated ballast wagon for use in Europe's growing railway construction projects. In a unique pilot project, Railway Metrics and Dynamic's (RMD) railway cameras are now being used to optimise the amount of ballast used.
In 2017, Wascosa bought 197 Fanps wagons to consolidate its position in the market for transporting ballast and other aggregates for infrastructure projects and large construction sites. However, the company soon began exploring new and more innovative applications for these wagons.
"The reason for investing in a completely new type of ballast wagon is the planned shift to rail transport that can be seen in almost all of Europe. Most countries are investing heavily in both new construction and renewal of the railway infrastructure, as this is the key to reducing CO2 emissions and making transport more sustainable," says Luc Le Formal of Swiss freight wagon supplier Wascosa.
The first wagon will be tested in a live project in France in June 2021, complete with load indicator, 360-degree lighting system, safety flashers and soundproof ballast discharge system.
"Extremely high precision is required for a good ballasting job, so one of the things we improved after the first project was the radio control system, which is now even more responsive," he says.
And now the idea is that RMD's reversing camera will also become part of the world's most modern ballast wagon.
"As a first step, we want to use the cameras to optimise the amount of ballast used in the field. Each tonne costs 40 euros, so there is a lot of money to be saved by being more precise," says Luc Le Formal and continues:
"We see RMD's products as very important for the performance and customer benefit of the ballast wagon.
If the tests go well, Wascosa sees other applications for the camera.
"For example, customers can use the camera to check that the work is well done. It is also possible to save manpower in the field, as the cameras can see what is happening on the other side of the trailer at least as well as an additional employee".
• What does this mean for RMD?
"We will see after the pilot, but Wascosa has 200 wagons to rent and we expect at least 8 cameras on the test wagon," says Jan Lindqvist, CEO of Railway Metrics and Dynamics.
"We see great potential in the railway camera as part of our offering," says Irmhild Saabel, Chief Business Development Officer at Wascosa.
The pilot project began immediately after the Munich trade fair on 9-12 May, where RMD showed both the railway camera and the entire asset management platform to curious visitors.
"Several major players were present and wanted to discuss with us. Belgium's Infrabel, for example, asked for the camera and we will give them a demonstration of the system," says Jan Lindqvist.
Railway renewal in Europe is a huge market and both RMD and Wascosa want to contribute by making track renewal faster and safer. France alone will invest 100 billion euros by 2040, and the Czech Republic, for example, 30 billion euros.
